Collaborative for High Performance Schools joins USGBC

The nonprofit Collaborative for High Performance Schools, commonly known as CHPS, has joined the U.S. Green Building Council’s Center for Green Schools.

CHPS was founded in 1999 as a catalyst for California’s state agencies and major utilities to address energy efficiency in schools and help reduce energy costs in K-12 education. CHPS has since expanded its work to address all aspects of high-performance school design, construction, and operation nationwide.

The new collaborative will use the expertise and shared history of USGBC and CHPS to increase access to resources, accelerate the development of school-focused solutions, and incentivize action in local school districts. A 2020 U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) study shows that about half of school districts nationwide need to update or replace multiple systems, including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) or plumbing, in over half of their schools, according to a USGBC news release.

The Center for Green Schools invites non-profits, companies, school professionals, and other individuals to contribute their expertise to the new collaborative.